The present invention relates generally to control rods used in aircraft actuator systems and more particularly to providing control rods with rotating rod ends.
Actuator systems are used within an aircraft to transmit a pilot""s control inputs from controls in a cockpit to control surfaces on the exterior of the aircraft such as elevators, ailerons, and rudders. In some applications, the relative motion between connected elements within an actuator system may have more than one degree of freedom. For example, an element may rotate in relation to its connected element as a linear force is being transferred from one element to the other. In this case, construction of the actuator system requires the use of a control rod connecting the element wherein one rod end of the control rod is free to rotate.
Therefore, a need exists for a method to integrate a rotating rod end with a control rod in a cost effective way. Preferably the integration method should be adaptable to many different kinds of control rod and rod end configurations. The present invention meets such need.
It is an object of the invention to provide a control rod for an aircraft actuator system with a rotatably connected rod end. The connection between the control rod and the rod end is preferably strong, simple to construct, and light weight.
The control rod for an aircraft actuator system comprises a swivel insert, a rod end, and a tube. The swivel insert includes a tubular member having a longitudinally extending bore, external screw threads, and at least one radially extending bore through the tubular member. The rod end includes a shaft with the shaft including a circumferential groove. The tube includes an internally threaded bore such that the tube can be connected to the swivel insert. The shaft of the rod end is located in the longitudinally extending bore of the swivel insert with the radially extending bore and circumferential groove substantially aligned. A ball bearing is placed in the radially extending bore and rests in the circumferential groove. The tube is threadedly coupled to the swivel insert with the ball bearing captured substantially within the radially extending bore between circumferential groove and the tube creating a rod end rotatably connected to the control rod.